Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes rose five points to 29 in May, according to the National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index. The improvement brought the index to its highest level since May 2007. Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the NAHB, said builders are reporting a pickup in sales and traffic after a pause in April. According to Rutenberg, it’s a sign that the upward trend in confidence that began earlier this year has resumed and that stabilizing prices and excellent affordability are encouraging people to purchase homes. Each of the component indexes measuring current sales, traffic, and expectations for the next six months rose in May after declining in April. More here.

Builder confidence in the market for new single-family homes is twice as strong as it was six months ago and at its highest level since 2007. The latest National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index, which measures builders’ expectations and perceptions, was unchanged from last month. Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the NAHB, said builders are still cautious but there’s a sense that many local housing markets have started to move in the right direction and that prospects for future sales are improving. The component gauging builders expectations for sales over the next six months was up for the six consecutive month, rising two points from the month before. Regionally, the Index was up in the Northeast, South, and Midwest but down in the West. More here.

Builder sentiment rose for the fifth consecutive month in February, according to the National Association of Builders’ Housing Market index. The index measures builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes on a scale where any number over 50 means more builders view the market as good than poor. In February, the index rose from 25 to 29 and reached its highest level in more than four years. David Crowe, NAHB’s chief economist, said this is the longest sustained improvement the index has seen since 2007 but cautioned that the HMI is still low. Still, builder confidence has now doubled since last September. The gauges measuring current sales and expectations for the next six months both rose by five points in February. More here.